Ceviche with Coconut and Ginger
The best, most interesting ceviches in the world come from Peru, specifically Lima. Peru is blessed with three completely different geographies—coastal, Amazonian, and highland, with a different ecosystem—and cuisine—for each. Peruvian chefs create ceviches using exotic fish from the coast, potatoes and corn from the highlands, and wonderful tropical flavors and ingredients like hearts of palm from the Amazon region. Typical of a ceviche, the snapper in this taco filling is cooked not with heat, but by chemical action of the acid in the citrus juices. True red snapper, one of the great fishes of the world, is very expensive and rare, distinguished by its large head and red flesh. Most fish that is sold as snapper is actually rock cod or some other rockfish and does not have the subtlety of the genuine article. If you can’t get true snapper (you can tell only by seeing the whole fish, with its bright red and pale yellow markings), striped sea bass or halibut will work well. Candied ginger makes a nice garnish.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 tacos
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a large bowl, toss the snapper with the lemon and lime juices and the salt and let marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Step 2
Meanwhile, to make the coconut-chile sauce, in a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion just until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. In the jar of a blender, add the sautéed onion, coconut milk, and chiles and puree until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
Step 3
Drain off the marinade from the fish. In a large bowl, toss the snapper with the basil.
Step 4
Drizzle half of the coconut-chile sauce over the fish and use the remaining sauce as a dip for the tacos. Serve immediately.
Step 5
To serve, place some iceberg slaw in each crispy shell, divide the filling equally between them, top with garnish, and arrange in a taco holder. Or, lean the filled shells in a row, propped upright, on a platter. Eat right away. To build your own, place some slaw, then filling, in a crispy shell, and eat right away.
